Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎268v] (536/749)

goods, the proceeds to be credited to provincial municipalities. Municipalities
are now in most cases bankrupt and in debt.
Medical.
7. Some half a dozen mobile dispensaries have been equipped by the Persian
Government and are now touring the provinces. It is intended to increase the
number when funds are available This measure was probably inspired by the
success of the mobile dispensary provided by Paiforce which for the past two
years has been touring extensively among the Kurdish, Lur, Bakhtiari, Qashgai,
Khamseh and Arab tribes.
A ppointments — Civil.
8. —^(i) Rukneddin Ashtiani to be First Secretary to the Persian Legation
in Switzerland;
(ii) Bihjat Nuri to be Secretary to the Persian Consulate-General in
Jerusalem;
(iii) Muzafferi to be Farmandar. of the newly-created Shahrestan of Sirjan
(Kerman Province).
^4 rm y^ Persian Forces.
9. General Ridley states that the United States Government some time ago
informed the Persian Government that his mission would be withdrawn on
1st March, when the period of their contracts expired, and that the Persian
Government then requested that the mission should remain for some time longer.
The United States Government have cancelled their orders for the recall of the
mission but nothing has been settled as to the period for which they will remain.
Owing to lack of funds to make the necessary bulk purchases the supply admin
istration organised by the American Mission is functioning irregularly and with
difficulty, and, due to inefficiency and to labour troubles in the textile mills, it
seems likely that the cloth required for summer uniforms will not be available
in time.
Air Force.
•
10. It is learnt from secret sources that Colonel Khosrevani, of the Persian
Air Force, who was sent to America in October to attend the International Air
Conference (see Summary No. 40/44, paragraph 4), has requested the Westing-
house Electrical International Company of New York to make a project for the
equipment of the Qaleh Murgheh airfield at Tehran with all devices necessary
for air services, and subsequently to make a survey of the whole of Persia with
a view to assessing requirements for radio communications and radio navigation
for internal air services.
Kurdistan. * Internal Security.
11. As reported in Summary No. 9/45. paragraph 10, and Summary
No. 8/45, paragraph 10, the Persian Government, after the disturbance at
Mahabad, ordered the despatch to that town of a column from the Saqqiz Brigade.
On reaching Bukan the column was met by the Farmandar of Mahabad and Qazi
Muhammad, the most prominent Kurdish notability of the town, who informed
the commander that the Kurds could not be restrained from opposing the occupa
tion of the town by the Persian troops. When the Persian commander decided
to ignore this warning a Russian officer intervened and forbade the further
advance of the column. This order was obeyed. Negotiations are now in pro
gress with the Russians through diplomatic channels. It is understood that the
Russians are insisting that any troops required for the garrisoning of Mahabad
must be taken from those already in Azarbaijan.
Pars.
12. There has been a further case of shooting at travellers on the Shiraz-
Bushire road resulting in one death and two persons wounded. But security
generally remains good.
Russian Affairs.
13. The Dost-i-lran, the Persian paper published by the Publicity’Depart
ment of the Soviet Embassy, has printed an article, alleged to be based on
American sources, which is offensively critical of British policy in Greece. It
will not tend to convince the public of the reality of Anglo-Russian unity.
Tehran, ^th March, 1945.